A Sussex port has become the prime route for criminals escaping with millions of pounds of stolen farm equipment.

Newhaven Port is being used as a gateway to Europe by gangs who transport the gear to countries including Lithuania, Poland, Cyprus and Ireland.

Tim Purbrick, manager of the National Plant and Equipment Register, which runs Europe’s largest database of owned and stolen plant and equipment, said “South east England is one of the most targeted areas for these criminals.

“Ports, even though they are small like Newhaven, can still be abused by criminals as exits out of the UK.

“It is very easy to export from the UK despite the number of police officers we have in ports like Newhaven.”

In January Interpol police officers stopped a low loader carrying a Hitachi and a Takeuchi excavator worth about £70,000 in France, just before its driver crossed into Spain.

The Sussex owner of one of the machines had installed a tracking device on the vehicle and staff from the register were able to locate it.

Mr Purbrick said: “About 10% of our recoveries over the last year have come from overseas.

“There are certain specific items which people tend to steal for export. They are generally higher value items like tractors.

“They are stolen in this country and are taken by criminals, or even innocents hauliers, to another country.“ Figures for 2008 show that theft of equipment in Sussex was down by 43%.

However £625,000 worth of equipment was stolen, including 19 diggers, 17 trailers and seven agricultural tractors.

Detective Chief Inspector Lorraine Morrison, from Sussex Police’s counter terrorist intelligence unit, said: “Sussex Police work in partnership with the UK Border Agency and the local division to gather intelligence and to proactively police the vessels, vehicles and passengers using Newhaven Port.

“If any members of the public have any further information which may assist us, please contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070999.”